Christian CBT

Christian CBT

Cognitive Therapy, which is based on a scientific investigation of problems, and religion, which is based on faith, initially appear to be incompatible. Although faith is required to accept a religion, once accepted, that religion is actually based on knowledge and concepts that have been derived from examining the holy scriptures, and have their own frame of reference.

Christian CBT

Recent research has demonstrated that religion provides patients with better coping strategies, and also that by including religious concepts in the treatment strategy improves the outcome of the treatment in terms of better recovery and lower relapse rate.

Similarities of the Combined Treatment Approach

Any form of successful counselling requires a healing atmosphere that generates hope and growth in clients. Cognitive therapy is used most effectively in Christian counselling in the following ways (Probst, 1988):

Giving the patient a rationale for treatment procedures.

Changing clients self-awareness by challenging should’s, must’s, and ought’s. Cognitive therapy helps clients to be freed from unrealistic expectations by understanding and revising the unnecessary demands they place on themselves.

Teaching meta-cognition so patients can think about their thinking, to understand and control their thought processes, and to replace inflexible and destructive thoughts with adaptive ones.

The emphasis on truth rather than happiness. Critical thinking skills encourage clients to confront the truthfulness of their thoughts and beliefs in therapy.

To change client’s underlying beliefs about the world, to gain a new set of assumptions about themselves, others, and God. As long as effective treatment is designed which is sensitive to religious convictions there is no conflict between Cognitive Therapy and Christian counselling.

The Goals of Christian Counselling

The ultimate purpose of Christian counselling is to love God with all the heart, mind, and soul. The goal of the therapy ‘IS’ Christ. Compared to belief and schema modification, which is the goal of Cognitive-behavioural therapy, for the Christian the purpose of treatment is to reveal a new source of being for those who are “In Christ”.

Bringing Christian clients into their spiritual inheritance is the meaning of the therapy (“I labour until Christ be formed in you”, (Gal.4. 8))

Values are an inevitable and pervasive part of psychotherapy. By identifying the distortions in the patient’s process of interpreting and understanding religious principles and teaching and leading to behaviour associated with the faulty assumptions, alternative religious concepts can be examined and tested by life experience to leave the patient to choose consciously the beliefs by which he will live.

Virtual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Convenient, private and secure

Online Therapy is available to anyone, anywhere in the world at home or in the office using a tablet, mobile phone or laptop / computer and a good internet connection.

This service would appeal to client's for a variety of reasons.

Clients location would make it difficult / impossible to access Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy.

Clients time-pressure, work deadlines, and work-based travel make it difficult to commit for the normal counselling time-scale.

Clients family commitments make it easier to have treatment on-line at home.

Clients prefer an initial face to face assessment, and then combine both treatment modalities.